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Simple Minds
Bowie-influenced Scottish punk band Johnny & The Self Abusers
changed their name to Simple Minds for New Wave fame and glimmered
through the early 80's by adding Krautrock and Eurodisco to their
repertoire.rn
Simple Minds made their debut in Glasgow in 1978, and later
that year recorded a six song demo which (thanks to UK music press
enthusiasm) led to a deal with Arista. Their first album charted
briefly in 1979 before the band undertook a heavy schedule of live
work in the UK, Europe and US, while they wrote a second album,
determined to be more experimental in approach.
rn
rn
Simple Minds were signed to Virgin Records in 1981, and paired
with producer Steve Hillage. The resultant sessions spawned two
albums, Sons And Fascination and Sister Feelings Call,
which were initially released together. It became the band's
first UK Top 20 entrant, spawning three minor hit singles with The
American, Love Song and Sweat In Bullet and
began Simple Minds' transformation from cult to popular
favourites. This success unnerved Brian McGee, who abhorred
touring. In August 1981 he was replaced by former Slik and Skids
drummer Kenny Hyslop, although the newcomer's recorded
contribution was confined to Promised You A Miracle.
rn
This powerful song reached number 13 in Britain, and proved
popular in Europe and Australia (where the band enjoyed an almost
fanatical following). Although Mike Ogletree joined on Hyslop's
departure, Mel Gaynor eventually became the quintet's permanent
drummer. All three musicians were featured on New Gold Dream,
which peaked at number three in the UK album chart. Here the band
began harnessing a more commercial sound, and they achieved a
series of hits with the attendant singles, Glittering Prize
and Someone Somewhere (In Summertime). A sixth
collection, Sparkle In The Rain, united the quintet with
producer Steve Lillywhite, inspiring comparisons with his other
protégés, U2.
rn
Waterfront, a brash, pulsating grandiose performance,
and Speed Your Love To Me, prefaced its release, with the
album entering the UK chart at number one. The set also featured Up
On The Catwalk, a further Top 30 entrant, and a cover version
of Lou Reed's Street Hassle, a long-established group
favourite.
rn
Jim Kerr married The Pretenders' singer Chrissie Hynde in
1984, but their relationship could not survive the rigours of
constant touring and being in different parts of the world.
rn
The following year Simple Minds, with new bass player John
Giblin, chose to record in America under the aegis of Jimmy Iovine
and Bob Clearmountain. It was during this period that the band
contributed Don't You (Forget About Me) to the
soundtrack of the movie The Breakfast Club. The quintet
remained ambivalent about the song, which was written by Keith
Forsey and Steve Schiff, but it paradoxically became a US number
one when issued as a single.
rn
Although the band initially vetoed a worldwide release, they
reneged in the light of this achievement whereupon the record
became a massive international hit and confirmed their
world-beating status. However, the track did not appear on the
ensuing Once Upon A Time that, despite international
success, drew considerable criticism for its bombastic approach.
rn
rn
Three tracks, Alive & Kicking, Sanctify
Yourself and All The Things She Said nonetheless
reached the UK Top 10, with the former also making US number
three, while a concurrent world tour, documented on Live In
The City Of Light, was one of the year's major events. The
proceeds of several dates were donated to Amnesty International,
reflecting a growing politicisation within the band. They had also
been one of the many highlights of 1985's legendary Live Aid
concert, with Kerr clearly relishing the moment.
rn
In 1988, Simple Minds were a major inspiration behind the
concert celebrating Nelson Mandela's 70th birthday, but although
a new composition, Mandela Day, was recorded for the event, Simple
Minds refused to release it as a single, fearful of seeming
opportunistic. The song was later coupled with Belfast Child,
a lengthy, haunting lament for Northern Ireland based on a
traditional folk melody called She Moved Through The Fair.
This artistically ambitious work topped the UK singles chart in
February 1989 and set the tone for the band's subsequent album, Street
Fighting Years, their first studio set in four years.
rn
Although it provided the band with their fourth UK
chart-topping album in a row and achieved platinum status within
five days, sales then dropped rather dramatically, reflecting the
uncompromising nature of its content. Two further singles entered
the UK Top 20, This Is Your Land and Kick It In,
while The Amsterdam EP, which included a cover version of
Prince's Sign 'O' The Times, reached number 18 at the
end of the year.
rn
This contradictory period closed with the rancorous departure
of Giblin and MacNeil, the latter replaced by Peter Vitesse, and
the ending of the band's ten-year association with Bruce Findlay
and Schoolhouse Management.
rn
Simple Minds entered the 90's with only Kerr and Burchill
remaining from the original line-up. Gaynor, Vitesse and new bass
player Malcolm Foster completed the line-up on Real Life,
which saw the band re-introducing more personal themes to their
songwriting after the political concerns of previous albums. The
new material, including the Top 10 single Let There Be Love,
recaptured the band's trademark grand, epic sound.
rn
Kerr married Patsy Kensit in January 1992, although the couple
would split-up only a few years later. During the same year,
Gaynor left the band, leaving Kerr and Burchill to complete their
next album with a host of session players. The highly commercial She's
A River preceded 1995's Good News From The Next World,
the band's final album for Virgin.
rn
After another lengthy hiatus, Kerr, Burchill and a returning
Forbes released Neapolis, an album that marked a
determined effort to recreate the edgy, electronic style of their
early 80's work. While not always successful, it did at least
indicate a band once again willing to take a few chances.
rn
The band eventually surrendered all that was original about
their music in a blatant attempt to be U3. In 2001, they were
signed by Eagle Records, and released Neon Lights, an
album of cover versions including The Needle And The Damage
Done (Neil Young) and All Tomorrow's Parties (The
Velvet Underground). A new studio album followed in 2002.
rn
Jim Kerr Vocals, guitar; Charlie
Burchill Guitar; Mick MacNeil Keyboards;
Derek Forbes Bass; Mel Gaynor
Drums; Brian McGee Drums; Kenny
Hyslop Drums; Mike Ogletree Drums;
John Giblin Bass; Peter
Vitesse Keyboards; Malcolm Foster
Bass
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